by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:05 AM ET, Thu May 6, 2021
LATAM Airlines Group, the airline group of South America, launched its Sustainability Strategy on May 5, 2021, committing to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, among other key commitments.
The Sustainability Plan operates within four core pillars: environmental management, climate change, circular economy and shared value.
LATAM has partnered with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to plan conservation and reforestation programs through the continent, hoping to offset 50 percent of its domestic emissions by 2030.
To combat climate change, the group will reduce emissions and incorporate more sustainable fuels. Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, noted that while the best solutions will most likely be available around 2035, airlines can start making changes now to help facilitate these future technologies.
The airline group has also created a plan to generate zero waste to landfill by 2027. To do so, LATAM will eliminate all single-use plastics by 2023, replacing them with compostable, recyclable or plant-based items, expand its onboard recycling program and expand its uniform recycling program, which donates used uniforms to local communities, who use them to make handicrafts.
Lastly, as part of the shared value pillar, LATAM will expand its ability to transport cargo and people for health programs, natural disasters and other critical operations. With its Solidarity Plane program, more than 29.4 million vaccines were distributed throughout South America for free, as well as crucial essential workers, medical supplies, organs for transplants and more.
"We are facing a critical moment in the history of humanity, with a serious climate crisis and a pandemic that has changed our society. Today, it is not enough to do the usual. As a group we have the responsibility to go further in the search for collective solutions. We want to be an actor that promotes the social, environmental and economic development of the region; therefore, we are assuming a commitment that seeks to contribute to the conservation of ecosystems and the well-being of the people of South America, making it a better place for all of them," said Alvo.
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